Air Temple Day Care
by kuvira
Summary: With Toph being a working single mother, Katara has offered to watch her kids during the day. Lin and Aunt Katara play, and Toph and Katara have a small heart-to-heart.


"I'm gonna get you!" Katara teases, chasing Lin around the outside of Air Temple Island.

"You can't get me! I'm the Greatest Earthbender in The World!" Lin squeezes her eyes shut and continues running from Katara.

"You better watch out! I'll splash you!" Katara laughs.

"Aunt Katara, go hide and I'll find you with my feet!"

"You sure?" Katara questions with a hand on her hip. "You think you can do that?"

"I know I can. Mama's been teaching me. I can see Su over there." She points to Kya playing with baby Su in the fountain.

"You see all that with your feet? What does it look like?" Katara asks.

"I can't really see her, but I can feel her weight on the ground and I can feel that she's little, so I know it's her." Lin explains. "It's still all black though."

"Oh..can you see this though?" She shoots a small splash of water at Lin.

Lin falls onto her bum. "Haha! That's not fair! I wasn't ready!"

"Lin, your opponent isn't going to wait for you to be ready! Didn't your mama teach you that?" She smiles while lifting the water from Lin's clothes.

Lin's eyes are still squinted shut. "Nope! But I can feel someone coming, Aunt Katara!"

"Oh? But can you feel….THIS?" She pounces and begins attacking Lin with tickles.

"Hey...Having fun without me?" Toph snickers.

"Mama!" Lin bounces up and runs over to her mother, offering a warm hug against her cold metal-armor.

"Aw, thank you, Lin. Can I have a kiss? I've missed my tough-girl." Toph pleaded with a smile.

"Mama, you hate kisses!"

"That's true..but I love you!" She gives Lin's face about ten kisses.

"You're late today. I was starting to get worried." Katara states.

Toph rises and sends Lin over to Su and Kya. "You have no idea. I've been so busy lately. I wasn't even able to finish my work." She sighs. "It's so hard balancing both of my jobs."

"I know, Toph." Katara states. And it doesn't get any easier. Every time Aang gets back from a trip he tells me how horrible he feels for missing so much of the kid's lives. He ends up spending most of his time with Tenzin teaching him airbending rather than having fun with the rest of the kids. Let alone with me." Katara bows her head and rubs her arm.

"I know what you mean." Toph sits down on the ground and sighs. "I hate to say it but things were so much easier when we were young, you know? Traveling around the world. When our only job was protecting each other. Now I have to protect the entire city and my kids."

Katara sits down with her. "You're doing such a great job, Toph." She puts a hand on her shoulder. "Lin loves you so much. Just today we were playing and she shut her eyes and called herself "The Greatest Earthbender in the World", she looks up to you so much."

Toph blushes, "Wow... I don't want her to be anything like me, though. Her or Su. They need to be their own person. I can't be like my parents were. I love them too much for that."

"I know you do." Katara smiles.

"Ooh, it's getting chilly out. Let's go in. Are you staying for dinner? The kids would love to see you." Katara asks.

"Oh, no. It's okay. The girls need to get home and take a bath. I'll see you tomorrow though, I'm taking the day off." Toph stands up.

"The day off? Why?"

"I need a break. And I want to get to know Su." Toph smiles while Kya walks over with the baby.

"Hi, Toph!" Kya gives her a big hug. "Ow, that's some rough armor you've got there." She smiles.

"Haha, yeah. You think it looks cool?" She spins around.

"Super cool." Kya laughs and hands Su over. "She looks like mom and I." "Such a pretty baby."

Toph touches Su's cheek and smiles. "Does she really? Wow…"

Tenzin runs over with Lin. "Bye, Baby Su! I'll miss you!" He blows the baby a kiss.

"You're givin' me the oogies, Tenzin, stop it!" She punches his shoulder.

"Okay Lin, that's enough." Toph smiles and takes her hand. "I'll see you guys later. If Twinkle-Toes comes home, tell him I said "Hey, Twinkle-Toes!""

"Will do!" Katara laughs.

Toph begins walking home with Su in one arm and Lin's hand inside hers.

Lin turns around. "Hey, Aunt Katara? Where's Bumi?"

"Learning how to use weapons with his Uncle Sokka. Down South."

"Oh, okay. Well can you tell Bumi that I miss him and I'm gonna kick his butt when he comes home?"

"Haha! Sure, honey. Have a good night and be good to your mama!" Katara waves goodbye.


End file.
